by J. C. Wilder
A feeling of recklessness descended upon her. The combination of the vibration of the motorcycle and the presence of Fayne sitting between her thighs made her giddy. The scent of leather and warm male tinged faintly with pine pitch ignited a spark of desire low in her belly. Her cheeks burned as she mentally chastised herself. She had to stop thinking like some shameless hussy. It was one thing to fantasize about a character in a book, it was another thing to fantasize about a living, breathing man.
The road leveled out and Fayne increased speed as the gravel gave way to a wide dirt path. The path ran along the ridge, giving a breathtaking view of the mountain peaks and Castle Rock, a massive lava formation in the distance.
Erihn flattened her hand on his stomach. Now covered by his T-shirt, muscles played beneath her palm. Tentatively, she shifted her hand, following the ridge of muscle up toward his chest.
Fayne’s hand covered hers and, for a second, her heart stopped. He moved her hand to cover his heart, the thud comforting beneath her palm. Tears stung her eyes as she leaned her cheek against his back.
Ivan scowled as he applied the brake. The twisting paved road leading to the Beaumont house had been an easy drive until he reached the scene of the mudslide. Bright yellow backhoes gnawed at the mass of rubble like little ants. Men in hard hats stood around, shouting directions.
He came to a stop and a man dressed in coveralls, plaid shirt, and a hard hat approached. Ivan admired a man who wasn’t afraid to put in a hard day’s work. The working man was the foundation of American society, even though the upper classes thought differently.
Pasting a pleasant smile on his face, he rolled down the window, allowing fresh air to flood the cabin of the car.
“Looks like you’ve got some trouble,” Ivan said pleasantly.
“Sure do. The storm last night caused quite a landslide. We’ve had a pretty wet summer around here.”
“I’m headed up to the Beaumont place. Can you tell me when this will be cleared?”
“Sure thing, it’ll be at least another day, possibly two, before you can get up there. They had some trouble with a pine tree coming down across their drive.”
Ivan felt a jolt of alarm. “No one was hurt, were they?”
The man shook his head. “I spoke to the house-sitter and he said no one was hurt, just made a big mess up there.”
“He?” Ivan paused. Had Erihn taken someone up there with her?
“Yeah, don’t remember his name, though. It was something odd.” A wary look crossed the man’s face. “I didn’t catch your name.”
“Bob Taylor,” he lied smoothly. He nodded to the muddy mess in front of him. “You keep up the good work now, you hear?”
The man stepped away from the car as Ivan put it in gear. Maneuvering carefully, he backed the car to a wide space and turned the rented Buick around. Waving at the man, he started back down the mountain, seething inside.
First, there’d been the horrendous hassle of finding out her real name. It’d cost him a pretty penny—not to mention the bribe to the editor’s assistant to find out exactly where Erihn was going to do her research. The stupid cow had eaten a fortune in food, at Manhattan prices no less. And, to top it all off, the ridiculous woman really thought he was Erihn’s brother!
Next, there’d been the delay due to the storm and now, to hear she’d shacked up with some man. He’d counted on Erihn being alone at the house. How dare she shack up with some gigolo? Women were whores…all of them.
This certainly put a kink in his plans. He dropped his hand to his side and patted his gun strapped in the shoulder holster. Never mind. Regardless of this unexpected wrinkle, he’d handle it as he had everything before. It was important that he didn’t forget the final prize, his wife returning to him.
Soon, his beloved Mary would be back with him where she belonged.
* * * * *
Erihn bent to grab the edge of the blanket then hiccupped. Clamping a hand over her mouth, she gave Fayne a mock glare when he laughed.
“Sir, don’t you realize it isn’t nice to laugh at a lady?”
He swept a low bow, grabbing the blanket on the way up. “Milady, truly I am sorry for offending thee. However,” he grinned, “you aren’t much of a drinker.”
She laughed. “Both Jennifer and Shai can validate that. I used to be quite a good drinker, but I find I don’t recover as well as I used to.”
He tucked the blanket into the backpack along with their used picnic supplies. The sun was setting by the time he finished stowing everything.
“I have a secret for you. Neither am I.” He secured the top of the pack and held out his hand. “Mac has drunk me under the table quite a few times. He says I’m a cheap date.”
She smiled and slipped her hand into his. Their little picnic had gone a long way to setting her mind at ease. In the past hour, they’d chatted about everything. Their jobs, how they had nothing in common, their favorite movies and how they both loved action adventure movies, and their mutual love for their friends. Fayne also had a deliciously wicked sense of humor.
They walked back to the bike in companionable silence, her discarded chaps draped over a nearby rock. He dropped the pack near the bike and propped himself against the seat. He nodded toward the west and she released his hand and turned to watch.
The sky was streaked crimson and orange, accented with pink. As the minutes passed, the colors shifted, becoming more brilliant as the blues and violets made themselves known. With every blink, the scene changed. It was a glorious display.
He captured her elbow and, with a modicum of effort, he tugged her into his arms. She leaned into him, her back to his chest, her feet bracketing his. His arms wound about her waist as warm lips brushed her ear and a trill of desire ran down her spine.
“Watch,” he breathed. “Here they come.”
Two golden cougars stepped out of the woods and onto a large flat rock less than fifty yards away from where they stood. Stretching on the sun-warmed surface, one began nuzzling and cuddling the other. Using its massive paws, the dominant one held the other in place and washed its face.
The setting sun turned their coats to golden fire.
Erihn held her breath. “Are we safe?”
His lips brushed her neck and shivers raced over her skin. “Quite.”
His teeth brushed the curve of her neck and her body leapt to attention. Delicate hairs stood on end and her nipples hardened. A sigh escaped her as he brushed her hair out of the way and caressed the back of her neck.
She needed to taste him. Turning, she was thrown off by the curved position of his body only to end up sprawled against him, unable to support herself, his breath warm on her skin. Those violet eyes were hot with need as he looked at her, as if awaiting her next command.
She tilted her head back, her hand creeping to twine in his thick hair. A jolt of unease moved down her spine. Was she about to take that final, irrevocable step? She hesitated, looking away from him.
“Don’t be afraid,” he whispered.
“I can’t help it,” she wavered.
He nodded. “Just tell me what you want, what you desire.”
She swallowed and met his gaze. “Kiss me.”
A lazy smile touched his sensual lips, igniting a low throb at the center of her thighs. Erihn stifled a groan.
“Your wish is my command.” He dipped his head and took her.
It wasn’t a slow kiss. It was deep, hot and carnal. She softened against him, leaning into his strength as she gave him as good as she got. Their tongues tangled in a sensual game of cat and mouse as they licked and sucked at each other’s mouths. A soft moan escaped her when his hand slipped beneath her open jacket and cupped her breast, tweaking her nipple through her sweater.
Fayne broke the kiss, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. Erihn looked deep into his eyes. The setting sun cast shards of gold in his eyes, a striking combination of cool violet and molten fire.
Tightening his arms
around her waist, he plucked her off her feet. Swinging his leg over the bike, he spread her thighs and settled her on top of him so she straddled him. Erihn gave a squeak when her skirt slid up, all but baring herself to him. Beneath her, his arousal was unmistakable.
He guided her feet to the pegs and Erihn tensed, pushing against them as if to stand up, sliding against him, the delicate flesh between her thighs grazing his engorged fly. A low groan escaped him and she paused. His helpless sound triggered a river of desire that flowed hot and heavy through her veins.
Startled, she grasped his shoulders and sank again, stroking him with her aroused flesh. He tossed his head back, his eyes closed as an animal hiss escaped him. Filled with a power the likes of which she’d never known, she shifted upward again, grinding their lower bodies together. She felt him growing, lengthening beneath her.
Fayne’s arms tightened and he hugged her to him. He arched his hips and leaned back until she was completely open against him. His eyes opened as his hands dropped to her knees. Erihn sighed when his hands skimmed her thighs, pushing her skirt up, baring her to his view.
Pressed tight against his 501s, she couldn’t decide whether to be terrified or turned on by what was happening. He gave her a tight smile then bucked beneath her. A rush of desire tingled through her limbs, forcing her to catch her breath as instinct took over. Pressing into him, she tensed her thighs and rose a few inches, her heightened nerve endings screaming with ecstasy at the delicious sensations caused by their friction.
With his help, she set an even rhythm.
“That’s my girl,” he hissed. “Slow and easy.”
Erihn released her death grip on his jacket and settled her hands on his shoulders. Rocking against him, she delighted in the waves of lust rolling through her body to pool at the apex of her thighs. Fayne’s eyes were half-closed and he was watching her ride him. Adding a little shimmy on the downstroke, she wrenched a groan from him.
“You’re killing me,” he hissed.
She licked her lips and a line from one of her books popped into her mind. “You’ll die with a smile…”
Erihn arched into him, her breath rasping in her lungs as he bucked beneath her, urging her to go faster. His eyes widened, a wicked smile on those sexy lips sending a jolt to the crest of her thighs.
“Only if you go first.” He slipped his hand between their thighs, one blunt-tipped finger centering on her clit. With a few deliberate strokes, her movements became jerky as she strained for the peak he offered.
“I wanted to go slow,” she protested breathlessly.
“Darlin’, there’s more where this came from,” he purred.
Desire coiled low in her belly when he sat upright, bringing her into more direct contact with his hand. He picked up the rhythm of her body as she rocked against him, ever more frantic to reach the pinnacle.
Then, with a single caress, he sent her over.
Her body contracted against his palm. Head thrown back, she screamed her satisfaction to the wilderness as tremors shook her. Wave after wave of release washed over her until stars swirled behind her eyelids, leaving her dizzy and breathless. They slowly subsided and she sagged against his chest, her fingers still clutching his shoulders.
When reality returned, she became aware of the rock-hard man beneath her. Straightening, her gaze met his and she shivered at the look of tenderness reflected there. No man had ever looked at her like that.
“How do you feel?” His voice was husky, thick.
“Fine, wonderful actually.” She pressed her lower body against him. “I think you’re next.”
“I think—”
She stopped his flow of words with her mouth by brushing a quick kiss across his lips. “You think too much.”
The damp denim was rough against her aroused flesh when she guided his hands to her waist. Without words, she began to move, adjusting her body to the subtle indicators he gave. Under his tutelage, she moved against him, increasing her speed until he was straining beneath her. A hoarse cry was torn from him and he came hard in his jeans.
Aftershocks from his violent orgasm sang through her, setting off an answering release in her body. For a second time, she came, tilting her head back and howling like an animal. After the storm passed, she settled against his chest, listening to his heart thunder beneath her ear.
Minutes later, when she finally could rouse herself to move she noticed the sun had set and the cougars were long gone.
“We should go,” she whispered.
Fayne gave her a hug. “Probably a good idea.”
Erihn awkwardly scrambled off, trying to retain some sense of modesty even though she’d just ridden him like a woman possessed. Flushing with embarrassment, she snatched up the chaps. With fumbling fingers, she put them on, torn between wanting to hurry and having him assist her. She stifled a groan at the thought of his fingers on her flesh once more.
He stepped forward and helped her strap the pack on her back and she struggled to think of something to say to break the awkward silence. She couldn’t think of anything.
“Ready?” he asked.
She nodded mutely.
“I forgot something.”
Erihn looked around and didn’t see anything amiss. “What?”
He captured her chin and forced her to look at him directly in the eyes. “This.” He lowered his head, his lips touching hers in a gentle kiss that brought tears to her eyes.
Releasing her, he stroked a finger down her throat as if he were reluctant to quit touching her. He turned and climbed on the bike, then held out his hand for her to join him. Her heart gave a quiver as he smiled encouragingly. Slipping her hand into his, she straddled the bike with more confidence than before.
Cuddled against his back, she aligned her thighs tightly with his, savoring the warmth emanating from his body.
He started the bike then set off into the night, their pace slow. The darkening sky and the glowing brilliance of the stars mesmerized Erihn and she tipped her head back for a better view. The sky in Colorado had always seems so limitless, making her feel tiny and insignificant. Not tonight. The Milky Way hung low overhead like a celestial smear of diamonds, and she felt light enough to float up to the heavens and become one of those glittering points of light.
Wrapping her arms around his waist, she placed her hands on the warmth of his stomach. His muscles contracted beneath her palms and a rush of delight hit her. Sliding her hand down, she moved her hand over his hip to his thigh. Muscles rippled beneath her touch as he shifted.
She stroked his thigh, luxuriating in the feel of worn denim over corded muscles. She started when his hand covered hers, leading her to the fold of his thigh. Massaging his upper thigh, she felt him stir to life against the side of her fingers. He shuddered against her chest. Warm fingers curled around her questing hand, drawing her over his erection to cover him.
His jeans, still damp from her body, molded tightly to his expanding form. She slid her other hand to cover his heart as she gently raked her nails over the heated denim. A low growl leapt from his chest and his heartbeat increased. His cock lurched beneath her palm. With each stroke, he lengthened, and a sense of feminine power sang in her veins.
As they wove their way down the mountain, Erihn alternated between reveling in the grace of his big body and stroking him to near delirium. She knew she was playing with fire, and she indulged in the heady thrill of teasing strokes and his acute reactions.
Fayne slowed the bike when they reached the point where they’d left the safety of the gravel road for the trail into the wilderness.
“If we’re going to make it through the woods without ending up in the mud, or worse, in pieces, you need to keep your hands in one place,” he rasped.
She laughed with delight when he captured her errant hand and pressed it against his stomach. Tapping it lightly, he said, “Now, don’t move it.”
Hugging him tight, they set off into the darkness. She was amazed at his ability to see in t
he darkness. Aided by a single headlight, he unerringly maneuvered through dense undergrowth between the towering firs and aspens, never once making a mistake.
They forded the small runoff, and she clung to him as they slid through the mud on the other side. For a second, she thought they just might end up on the ground, but he righted the bike easily and continued their journey.
She was stunned at the difference twenty-four hours had made. Yesterday, she’d been ready to run as fast as she could from him and today she wanted to get as close as humanly possible. Laying her cheek against his back, she shivered in the chill night air as the lights of Avon twinkled in the valley below.
Gradually the wilderness fell away when they reached some relatively tame acreage. The light from the kitchen window appeared through the trees and grew brighter as they neared the house. By the time they reached the house, Erihn was aware of how chilled she was. Fayne skirted around the small patch of tended lawn and the crunch of the driveway gravel was a welcome sound. He reached the overhang of the garage and pulled to a stop. Putting his feet on the ground, he turned off the bike. With ears still ringing from the constant rumble of the bike, she climbed off, her thighs protesting the unaccustomed exertions of earlier.
Strong fingers curled around her elbow, supporting her. He put the kickstand in place then climbed off the bike after her.
Shadowed, she couldn’t see his face when he pulled her into his arms. His kiss was deep and toe-curling, and she swayed against him. Passion reignited in a flash when he caressed her, his hands cupping her backside as he gently thrust against the apex of her thighs.
Erihn grasped his jacket and clung to him as he kissed her, his tongue tasting, touching, and slowly driving her out of her mind. She ate at his mouth as if she were a starving woman and he the only thing to cure her hunger. He eased her backwards toward the front door, pausing for a nip here, a suckle there. Twisted around each other’s bodies, her elbow banged into the door with a hollow thud.
She giggled wildly when he released her mouth and fumbled for the doorknob. He growled, “What are you laughing at, woman?”
